Speed-changing mechanism.



R. SYMMONDS.

SPEED CHANGING MECHANISM. APPLICATION TILED. JUNE 19, 1906.

945,059. Patented Jan.4,1910.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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1mm 1 I? R. SYMMOND$. D CHANGING MECHANISM SPE 1 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1N6.

Patented? Jan. 4, 1910,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. SYMMONDS.

SPEED CHANGING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19,1906. 15,059, Patented Jan.4,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTATnsPATENr orrrcs.

ROBERT SYMMONDS,

COMPANY, A CORPGRATION OF WISCONSIN;

srEEn-cnfismer MECHANISM.

To all w'ho m it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT SYMMONDS, a

- citizen of the United States, residing, at

Kenosha, county ofKenosha, State of Wis consin, have invented a certain new and usefulImprove'mcnt 1n Speed-Changing Mec h-'- anism, and declare the fpllowing to be a full,- clear, and exact description of [the same,

i such as willenable others skilledxin-the' art 11mg drawings, which form a part of -thisv to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyspccification. x

My invention relates in general to power changing mechanism, and more particularly to differential gearing interposed between a motor and a driven element whereby the lattermay be rotated at varlous speeds in one direction, or in a reverse direction.

My lnvention further relates to mountlng the speedchangingmechanlsm of a ,motor vehicle upon the driving shaft intermediate il'npcsing of the motor and the rear axle. t

' It is desirable, especially in automobiles,

to so connect the motor with a driven ele n1ent which in turn is operatively connected to the rear axle of the'automobile,

that the speed and power transmitted from the motor maybe varied at. the will of the operator, and that the direction of rotation of the driven element maybe reversed while the motor continues to run in the same direction. It is further desirable in motor. ve-

hicles that the transmission mechanism should be mounted directly upon the driving shaft intermediate of the engine and rear' axle.

provide speed changing mechanism for con- -necting amotor to a driven element, which maybe readily adjusted to inversely vary the speed and power of rotation of the element r to reverse the direction of rotation thereof. 1 v

A further ob'jectof my invention is "to provide simple and practical means for mounting a transmission mechanism upon the driving-shaft of a motor vehicle without theshaft. y

A still further object of my..-invention is to provide speed changing mechanism and means for supporting theisame upon .a me- The primary object of my inv'cnti-on is to I the Weight of the mechanism upon;

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed Jan. 4. i 910.

Application filed June' 19,-19oe. Serial mi 322,358.

- having a tubular extension supported with-' -1n the ]01I1l3 casing, a tube surrounding the- -driven shaft and supported at one end by the transmission casing, and at its other end by the casing of the differential gearing on the rearaxle, and adjustable rods flexibly secured at their forward ends to the transmission-casing and attheir rear ends to the tube extendinglfrom the dilferential casing around the rear axle.

-My invention further consists in-speed changing mechanism which may be generally described as comprising a driving sleeve rotatably surrounding the end of a driven shaft, a pinion fixed to said sleeve, a pinion carrier rotating with, but axially movable upon the driven shaft, a clutch interposed between the carrier and the driving sleeve, internal'gear wheels mounted on the carrier, a pair of rigidly uniting pinions mounted upon the carrier, oneof said united pinions meshing with the pinion on the sleeve and one of the internal gear wheels, anidle gear wheel mounted on the carrierand meshing with the other internal gear wheel and the second of. said uniting pinions, means for locking said internal gear wheels against rotation, and means 'formoving the carrier .;aXia-lly to engage and disengage the clutch.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accom' p 'nying drawings in which the same is illus tr in which \Figure 1 is a plan View Fig. 2 an enlarged sectional view-on'line 2-2 Figs. 3 and l; F i 321 seetionalview on line33 Fig. 52; an, Fig; .4 a sectional view on line H ,-Fig 2i 1 tedas embodied in a convenientform and or KnuosHA, WI$CONSIN, ASSIGNOR '10 THOMAS B. JEFFERY &

, cross portion B of a universal joint.

. portion B of the 'jOlDlJ'lS pivotally supsleet e B.

ures of-the drawings.

The same reference characters are used'to designate the same parts in theseveral fig- Reference letter A designates afdijiving shaft, such for lnstanee, as the crank-shatt of a motor.

a indic ates a .fly wheel mounted upon the;

- terposed between the sleeve and the shaft.- The end of the shaft C which projects within upon the rear-end of the driven I thereby rotating therear axle.

the yoke B is provided with-a nut c to prevent the movement ofthe shaft axially with respect to the sleeve.

' l) designates the differential gearing connecting the two portions D and 1') of the rear axle of the automobile. 1

d indicates a large beveled gear meshes with a small beveled gear 0 fixed I shaft C E designates a casing for inclosing the speed changing mechanism, such casing having a detachable cover E secured thereto in any suitable manner as by bolts. 4 The cover E is provided with a tubular extension (1 which surrounds the driving sleeve B. A removable collar 6? is the extension 6'. v

F designates a housing inc-losing the uni- VQISflhjOlIlt between the driving shaft and sleeve. The housing is provided with a tubular extension 1'' which surroundsthe which provided on the'end of 7 extension 6 of the cover E of the transmis sion casing.

The housing Fis provided with a removable cover F through which the yoke A? extends. The housing Fis provided with trunions f, f pivotally supported. in brackets G ,and G supported by the cross girder G of the automobile frame.

The transmission casing E is provided with a hub a formed integrally therewith in which is supported one end of a tube ll sun rounding the driven shaft G. The opposite end of a tube H is supported within a socket is carried by the cover K of the casing K of the difi'erential gearing. The casing K is provided with sockets l1 and is 'n'ojecting outwardly from the side walls thereof in which are supported the ends of the tubes L and L surrounding the sections l) and D of the rearaxle.

Z and l indicate the plates upon which are secured the usual automobile springs (not sho'wn).

Rods M and M are provided for preventing the tube H from moving laterally.

x These rods are adjustable in lengthby means the housing. These horizontal journals also permitthe movement of the casing E and housing F due' to the up and-down movement of the rear wheels. Such movement of the'wheels is also ei'ihitted by the hinged joints at the ends of the rods M and M I The speed changing mec/Lam'sm.-l.l1e dm'v zn.sha'ft is-provided with a squared port on C' w1thin the casing E. O designates a pinion carrier having a hub 0' surrounding the portion 0 of thedriven shaft and ofa cross section to conform thereto. The hub O is axially movable upon the shaft and is engaged by a spring 1 inter posed between the end of the hub and ,a collar p loosely surrounding the shaft. Antifriction balls pare interposed between the collar 7) and a collar -71 upon the end of a sleeve P -interposedbetween the shaft C and the tube H. In order that the pinion carrier '0 may be moved against the tension of the spring P a lever R is provided which is fulcrumed upon a rod -1' within the casing E. The'lever R is provided with a yoke the ends of whielrextend within a gro'ove 0" in the hub O of the pinion carrier. t

A circular plate S surrounds the; sleeve B and is rigidly connected to and forms part ofthe pinion carrier 0 by means of a-plurality of shafts T. Each of the shafts'T supports a pair of ri idly united pinions'T and T An interna gear wheel U is rotatably supported around the pinionea'rrier O by means of a flange u interposed between a rib on the carrier and a stop ring u A plurality of idle gears t mounted u on-the carrier mesh with the internalgear w eel U and the several pinions T. I I

A- secord internal gear wheel U rotatably surrounds the plate S being supported thereon by a flange u 'overlyinga flange s on the pllate'. The internal gear is retained upon t e late by means of a. rib thereon extending 'etween a shoulder .on the plate S and a V designates a circular plate surrounding the sleeve B and fixed to rotate-therewith bv means of a key. The hub o of the plate V extends within and supports the plate S. Interposed between the plates?) and V are two series of disks IV arranged alternately, one series rotating with the plate S and the other series rotating with the plate V. Suitable means are provided for locking the internal gear wheels against rotation such as bands U which may be tightened around the internal gears any suitable mechanism (not shown).

The, operation of my improved speed changing mechanism as follows: When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 the plates S and V are locked together by means of interposed dislrs d owing to the tension of the spring l which forces the pin-' ion carrier towardthe plate V. The driving shaft ll consequently locked to the driven shaft C so that the latter is rotated at high speed. This direct connection is eiiected through theolate V which is fixed to the sleeve B, theclutch disks W, the platcS and pinion carrier t), and hub O which engages the square portion of the shaft, In order to rotate the shaft C in the same direction as the drivingsleeve, but at less speed the lever It is'oscillated to' move the pinion carrieragainst the tension ot the spring I and to thereby move the plate S away from the plate V so that the clutch disks are released. The internal gear U is then locked against rotation so that the sleeve B is connected to the shaft C through the pinion b, pinions T and pinion carrier O.

in the san'ie'dircctioi'i as the sleeve l5 but-at less speed. In order to rotate the drivenshaft in a reverse direction to that of the driving shaft, the clutching disks are released by means otthe leverR and the in-' ternal gear wheel U locked against rotation v The several pinions T are rotated by the pinion I), and the several pinions T rotate the engaged idle gears t within the internal gear wheel U, the result being that the pinion carrier is rotated in a reverse direction to that of the driving sleeve.

It is obvious that by oscillating the leve r .spced changing mechanism in which the driven shaft army be directly connmtcd to the driving shaft, in which the driven shaft ca.n"also be connected to. the driving shaft through interposed speed reducing gearing, in which the driven shaft may be rotated in a reverse direction to that ol" the dri iur' The pinion carrier is consequently rotated and with it the shalt C shafusuch ditterent mo teme'nt of the driven shaft being easily eifected by extremely simple inechanicalmeans.

It will be further observed that I have invented an improved means for supporting a transmission mechanism directly upon a shaft interposed between the motor and the rear axle. of .an automobile Without imposone of which meshes Withthe first pinion,

an idle pinion mounted upon the carrier and meshing with the other of said united pin. ions, an internal gear Wheel rotatlvely supported bythe carrier and meshing with said idle pinion, and means for locking said inf ternal gear'against'rotation. V

2. In a speed changing mechanism, the combination .witha driving element, of a driven shaft, :1 pinion fixed to the driving element, a pinion carrier mounted upon the driven shai't to rotate therewith, a. pair of united-pinions mounted upon said carrier; one of which meshes with said first an idle pinionmounted upon the earner and meshing with theother of said united pinions, an internal gear'wheel rotativelysupinion,

ported by the carrier and meshing with said idle pinion, and means for locking said internal gear against rotation, at ,second in terna l gear wheel rotatively mounted upon; said carrier and meshing with the first of said united pinions, and means for locking said second internal gear Wheel'against rotation. V 1 In. a speed changing mechanism, the

' combination witha driving element, of-a dr ven shaft, a p nion fixed to the driving element, a inion carrier mounted upon the driven shatt to rotate therewith, a pa1r of united pi'nions mounted upon said carrier one of which meshes with said first pinion,

element, a pinion carrier mounted upon the driven shaft to rotate therewith, a'pair ofunlted p'ml'ons mounted upon said carrier one of which meshes with saidfirst pinion,

an vidle pinion mounted upon the carrier and meshing with the otl'rcr of said united pinions, an internal gear wheel rotatively sup ported by the carrier and meshing with said idle pinion, and means for locking'said inielllill gear against rotation, a second internal gear wheel 'r'otatively mounted upon said carrier and meshing with the first of said united pinions, and means for locking said second internal gear wheel against rotation, and means for detachably clutching said carrier directly to the driving element.

5. In a speed changing mechanism, the combination with a driving element, of a driven shaft, a pinion fixed to the driving element, a )inion carrier mounted upon the driven sha t to rotate therewith, but axially movable thereon, a clutch interposed between said carrier and the driving element,

means for, controlling said clutch by the axial; movement of said carrier, and means interposedbetweensaid carrier andsaid driving element to rotate said carrier at. less speed than or in an opposite direction to the rotation of the driving e ement.

' 6. In a speed changing mechanism,'the

combination with a driven shaft, of a driv-H ing sleeve mounted upon said shaft, a'pinion' fixed to the driving sleeve, a 'pinion' carrier mounted upon the driven shaft to rotate therewith but axially movable thereon, a

clutch interposed between said carrier and said driving sleeve, means for controlling said clutch by the axial movement of said carrier, and mechanism interposed between other by sliding the'carrier along the driven shaft, means for sliding said carrier, an mtcrnal gear wrheel rotatively mounted on the .carner, and a pmion mounted upon SaIdCSI- rier and meshing with said first mentioned pinion and said internal gear.

8. In a speed, changing mechanism, the

combination with a driving element of a driven element, a plmon fixed to sald driving elem t, a clutch member fixed to said driving e ement, a pinion carrier slidably mounted on said driven element and held against rotation thereon, said carrier having aclutch member arranged to cooperate with the clutch member on the driving element, an

internal gear rotatively mounted upon the a carrier, a pinlon supported on said carrier and meshing with said first mentioned pin- 1011 and said internal gear, and means for 'SlldlIlg said carrier along said driven ole-- ment:

In testimony whereof, I sign this speeification in the presence of two witnesses.

- ROBERT SYMMONDS.

\Vitnesses:

En, DIXON, VILLIAM F. Luce. 

